1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to refrigeration showcases, and more particularly to a refrigeration showcase comprising a display case for displaying commodities while refrigerating the commodities and a machine case for supplying cold air to the display case in circulation.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Examined Japanese Patent Publication No. SHO 55-17308 discloses a showcase which comprises a display case and a machine case separate from the display case and housing mechanical components such as a refrigerator and a cold air circulating blower for supplying the air cooled in the machine case to the display case through a heat insulation duct.
The disclosed display case is open at its front side and has various ingenious means for preventing transfer of heat to the commodity accommodating portion of the display case through the front opening. There are many differences between the open refrigeration showcase and the closed refrigeration showcase in the construction of the commodity accommodating portion, method of recognizing commodities and arrangement of illumination means, so that the ingenious means are not usable as they are for the closed refrigeration showcase while fully assuring the advantages of the separate construction.
On the other hand, a refrigeration showcase is known which is in the form of a columnar assembly comprising such a closed refrigeration showcase for displaying commodities while refrigerating the commodities, and a machine chamber rotatably supporting the display case thereabove for supplying cold air to the display case in circulation (see Unexamined Japanese Utility Model Publication No. SHO 49-85662). However, since the machine chamber which has a refrigeration cycle and is therefore invariably heavy is assembled with display case the known device can be installed only at locations where. sufficient mechanical strength is available.